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🕯 June 22 marks the Day of Memory and Sorrow in Russia. At dawn on June 2️⃣2️⃣, 1941, enemy aviation launched massive attacks on airfields, railway stations, Soviet naval bases and numerous cities along the entire western state border to a depth of up to 250-300 km. This opened one of the most tragic chapters in our country’s history. The Great Patriotic War broke out. Hitler had a lightning war in mind. Operation Barbarossa implied a crushing defeat of the Red Army and the defeat of the Soviet Union within a few months with the help of the hitherto faultless blitzkrieg tactics. Romania, Italy and other countries joined Germany to form a united front against the Soviet Union. However, the Red Army’s fierce resistance and the efforts of all Soviet people foiled the Third Reich’s plans. 🎙 The news about German invasion and the beginning of the war was announced over the radio. At noon on June 22 the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs V.Molotov addressed the Soviet citizens with a phrase that went down in history: “Ours is a righteous cause. The enemy shall be defeated. Victory will be ours”. The Great Patriotic War lasted 1418 days and nights and ended on May 9, 1945 with the victory of the Soviet Union and the complete rout of the Nazi bloc. ❗️ The Soviet people perished amounts to 40% of all human losses in WWII, i.e. 26.6 million people! Of them, more than 8.7 million died in combat, 7.42 million were intentionally exterminated by the Nazis in the occupied territories, and over 4.1 million died from the atrocious conditions of the occupation regime. • Since 2009, the day marked by the Candle of Memory nationwide action. Candles are lit throughout Russia in the silence of the night in memory of all those who died during the Great Patriotic War protecting our peaceful life. Since 2020, an annual nationwide minute of silence has been held at 12:15 Moscow time the exact time when the Soviet government announced Nazi Germany’s invasion. 🔗Read our full material for more information #Victory79#WeRemember

Victory Day Poster. #9May#Victory80

🌟On May 9, the Russian Embassy in Ethiopia hosted a reception in honor of the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The event was attended by heads and employees of diplomatic missions of the CIS countries, China, and our Ethiopian friends. 🎶 The staff of the Russian Embassy prepared a touching concert program with the participation of teachers from the school at the Embassy. Archival footage from the Second World War and a thematic photo exhibition were also shown as part of the reception. A record of the Victory Parade on Red Square was organized. 🇷🇺🎙 In his speech, Ambassador Evgeny Terekhin noted that, despite all geopolitical upheavals, most people on the planet share the view of Russia's real contribution to Victory over Nazism and the preservation of peace. ❗️Russia will always steadfastly defend the historical truth and will not allow the lessons of the past to be forgotten. #Victory80#VictoryDay

#Victory81 🌟 On May 8, 1949, the iconic monument in the Soviet War Memorial in #TreptowerPark in Berlin — aka the Soldier-Liberator — was unveiled, right there, at the sacred site of the mass grave of 7'000 Red Army soldiers and officers who perished in the fierce Battle of Berlin in April-May 1945. This iconic #WW2-era memorial is one of the most worldwide recognizable symbol of the Soviet people’s Great Victory over Nazism. The bronze statue of a Soviet soldier, carefully holding a rescued German girl to his chest and breaking the Nazi swastika with his sword, embodies the noble mission of the Red Army, whichliberated Europe from the shackles of Hitler's occupationand put #WWII to its final end. Inside the foundation of the #LiberatorSoldier monument, there is a memorial hall crowned with images of the Order of Victory. Adorning the wall, there is an : Today, it is globally acknowledged that, through their selfless struggle, the Soviet people saved European civilization from annihilation by fascists. This stands as the Soviet peoples' historic feat for humanity. *** The architectural design of the memorial in Treptower Park commemorates the On April 30, 1945, during the fierce street combat in Berlin, the Red Army soldier risked his life to rescue a three-year-old German girl from Nazi gunfire. The memorial complex took three years to build, from 1946 to 1949. The project was coordinated by famous Soviet monumental sculptor Yevgeny Vuchetich, architect Yakov Belopolsky and artist Anatoly Gorpenko. The very site for the future monument in Berlin was chosen for a particular reason. Treptower Park, located along the Spree River, had been a cherished public park for Berliners. The architects envisioned the memorial as an enduring testament to remind to future generations of who had truly defeated the Third Reich and brought back freedom to the German people and all European nations. The historical importance of the memorial in preserving the memory of the Soviet soldiers’ heroism can be seen in the architects' note for the initial sketches for the Soviet monuments in Berlin. The note reads, in part: When designing the projects, the objective must be to create enduring, monumental structures that embodied the idea of ​​commemorating the glorious memory of the Soviet Army’s liberating mission, for which these soldiers gave their lives… The TREPTOWER monument must be especially grand. German sculptors also contributed to its creation, while the choice of building material — the granite taken from the ruins of the defeated Hitler's Reichskanzlei— was imbued with powerful symbolism. 🎖 The monument was officially unveiled on May 8, 1949. During the ceremony, Berlin’s military commandant, Major GeneralAlexander Kotikov,delivered his famous address: This monument in the heart of Europe, in Berlin, will forever remind the peoples of the world when, how, and at what cost Victory was achieved, our Motherland was saved and the present and future generations of humanity were preserved. *** Each and every year onMay 9, despite the authorities’ ongoing efforts to stifle our sacred #VictoryDay commemorations, thousands of compassionate citizens — our compatriots, and Germans alike — gather at Treptower Park to cherish the memory of Liberators who saved the world from Nazism. 💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman MariaZakharova (excerpt from of April 24, 2026): This memorial features the statue of a Soviet soldier holding a German girl. Not a Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Tajik, Armenian, Azerbaijani, or Jewish girl, but a German girl. This, I believe, represents thehighest expression of humanism: a Soviet soldier is portrayed as a liberator, first and foremost, of the German people from Nazism, even though his own family had been destroyed, his home obliterated, and Soviet towns and villages burned down. Yet he protects a German girl. #WeRemember

- Κаждый нeмeц, пусть он чeрeз сто лeт родится дажe, кaждый нeмeц нaм дoлжeн. - Ηу дa, зa тo, чтo oни у нaс тут сделaли… - Сoвсем нет. Они нaм дoлжны не за тo, чтo oни у наc cдeлали. Они дoлжны за тo, чтo мы у них нe cдeлали. - Every German, even if he’s born a hundred years from now, owes us. Every single German. - Well, yes, for what they did to us here… - Not at all. They don’t owe us for what they did to us. They owe us for what we didn’t do to them. 📙 This is a quote from Эдуард Веркин Облачный полк (2012) (The Cloud Regiment), a simple yet terrifying book about the everyday life of a partisan detachment, seen from our time. A war without embellishment, without falsehood, and without a polished gloss. 🔻To read the book in Russian online: https://www.rulit.me/books/oblachnyj-polk-read-273872-1.html #WW2 #USSR #useful_resources 🟠RCR | Support | Boost

🗓 On October 14, 1943, the only successful mass uprising in the Nazi death camp took place in Sobibor. Red Army Lieutenant Alexander Pechersky, a prisoner himself, led the inmates to their successful escape. 🕯 Sobibor was one of the death camps created exclusively for the extermination of people the Nazis considered inferior. At Sobibor, 250,000 people were mercilessly gassed or shot . Prisoners were tortured, starved and subjected to medical experiments. The victims were predominantly Polish Jews, though many were brought from Austria, Czechoslovakia, and the Netherlands. At the time of the uprising, there were approximately 550 prisoners in the camp. They considered the arrival of the Soviet prisoners of war, including Alexander Pechersky, as a source of inspiration. One of the survivors, Kalmen Wewryk, later wrote in his memoirs: They had combat experience and knew everything there was to know about rifles, bullets, etc. They did not hesitate to engage in close combat. Pechersky literally exuded authority and confidence. Although many perished in the attempt, 300 prisoners managed to escape. Unfortunately, Polish peasants turned most of them in to the Nazis, whereupon the Ukrainian collaborationists executed them by firing squad. The Sobibor case formed part of the charges against Nazi criminals at the Nuremberg Trials, and the accounts of eyewitnesses and participants in the uprising have become the basis of numerous books and several feature films. #Victory79#WeRemember

#HistoryOfDiplomacy 🗓 On February 4, 1945, the Yalta Conference of the Leaders of the anti-Hitler coalition — Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin D. Roosevelt — officially commenced. The #YaltaConference stands as one of the most significant summits of the 'Big Three' Leaders during #WW2. The landmark talks in Yalta came to symbolise the successful cooperation of Moscow, Washington, and London in their common fightagainst the terrible evil the mankind had ever faced —the Nazi ideology. The historic agreements reached at the Forum defined the foundations of the post-war Yalta-Potsdam system of international relations, whose legal basis would be the #UNCharter. 💬 Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova: The participants in the Yalta Conference managed to overcome their differences, and, acting in the spirit of true solidarity, mutual respect and trust, abandoned their fleeting interests for the sake of defeating the common enemy and achieving a common victory, peace and freedom for all countries and peoples. *** 🌟 By early 1945, the Red Army had fully liberated the Soviet Union from the Nazi invaders and was mounting a decisive offensive: by January, the Nazi troops had been expelled from Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz, and most of Poland. The Soviet forces had secured strategically important bridgehead on the western bank of the Oder river and were preparing for the final battle of #WWII — the fight for the Reich’s capital — Berlin. As the Red Army advanced rapidly from the Vistula-Oder direction, UK-American units were pushing towards the Rhine river. Despite fierce resistance from elite units of the Nazi war machine, Germany’s defeat was inevitable. With the common Victory approaching, the discussing issues the post-war world order became a top priority for the Allied Powers. Thus, it was decided to convene a major conference, with the Soviet city of Yalta chosen as the venue (February 4-11, 1945). A central focus of the #CrimeanConference was the post-war future of the defeated Germany. The Allies reaffirmed their commitment to the eradication of German militarism and Nazism and to ensuring that “Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world.” It was also agreed that Germany would be obliged to pay reparations for the damage inflicted by its aggression. During the Yalta negotiations, the 'Big Three' Leaders reached a compromise on the issue ofPoland’s borders.The Soviet delegation firmly advocated for Poland’s fundamental interests, upholding its right to independence and sovereignty. Churchill later described the Soviet Union’s historic role in liberating Poland from Nazism in his memoirs: But for the prodigious exertions and sacrifices of Russia, Poland was doomed to utter destruction at the hands of the Germans. Not only Poland as a State and as a nation, but the Poles as a race were doomed by Hitler to be destroyed or reduced to a servile station The considerable growth in the USSR’s international prestige significantly influenced the course and outcomes of the Yalta negotiations. This was due, in large part, to the Red Army’s remarkable successes on the battlefield. The image of the Soviet soldier as a Liberator was cemented, and the world recognised Soviet people's immense Sacrifice and Achievement in WWII The Conference produced several crucial documents, including the Declaration on Liberated Europe, which helped shape the international system for decades. The framework for the future #UnitedNations also took clearer form. Following Yalta, the Soviet Union secured agreement on the “principle of unanimity” among the five permanent UN Security Council members, embodied in the right of veto — #UNCharterIsOurRules. The Yalta agreements strengthened the unity of the anti-Hitler coalition in the final stages of World War II and contributed to the ultimate common victory over Germany. In the post-war years, ensuring the implementation of the Yalta decisions became a key objective of Soviet diplomacy. #Victory81#WeWereAllies

Putin declares May 8-9 ceasefire with Ukraine to mark WWII anniversary, Defence Ministry says [Read FullArticle] @WorldNews#WWII#PutinCeasefire#UkraineNews

🎖️Commemorative Event Marking the 80th Anniversary of Victory in World War II Held at the Castle of Good Hope On 9 May 2025, a solemn commemorative event marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II was held at the historic Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town. The ceremony was attended by representatives of South African political forces, ANC veterans, the command of the South African National Defence Force, Russian compatriots and members of the general public. 🕯️The event opened with welcoming remarks by Mr. Calvin Gilfellan, Director of the Castle of Good Hope, featured interfaith prayers, performances of the national anthems of the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa, and a ceremonial march by an honour guard of the SANDF. A moment of silence was observed in memory of those who perished during the war. In his address, the Consul General of Russia in Cape Town, Mr. Aleksei Malenko highlighted South Africa’s contribution to the Allied Victory over Nazism, noting the participation of South African servicemen in the ranks of the anti-Hitler coalition. He also shared a personal family story related to the tragic events of the Great Patriotic War, emphasizing that the memory of the heroism and sacrifices of that generation is carefully preserved in every Russian family. Keynote speeches were also delivered by Mr. Marius Fransman, former Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, and Chief Zenzile Khoisan, leader of the Khoisan people. Both speakers underscored the historical parallels between the fates of the peoples of South Africa and Russia and emphasized the importance of international solidarity in the face of injustice and aggression. 📽️As part of the cultural programme, premiere of the documentary film “Legacy of Hope. Freedom Through Solidarity: The Russia–Cuba–South Africa Chapter” was held. Directed by Marius Fransman, the film resonated strongly with the audience. ❗️The screening was followed by a lively discussion focused on the modern relevance of the lessons of World War II and the imperative to preserve historical truth. 🤝The commemorative event at the Castle of Good Hope served as a meaningful contribution to the preservation of the memory of the peoples’ heroism in defending freedom and justice, and reaffirmed the enduring relevance of historical dialogue and international humanitarian cooperation. #Victory80#RussiaSouthAfrica

#HistoryOfDiplomacy 🗓 On February 4, 1945, the Yalta Conference of the Leaders of the anti-Hitler coalition — Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin D. Roosevelt — officially commenced. The #YaltaConference stands as one of the most significant summits of the 'Big Three' Leaders during #WW2. The landmark talks in Yalta came to symbolise the successful cooperation of Moscow, Washington, and London in their common fightagainst the terrible evil the mankind had ever faced —the Nazi ideology. The historic agreements reached at the Forum defined the foundations of the post-war Yalta-Potsdam system of international relations, whose legal basis would be the #UNCharter. 💬 Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova: The participants in the Yalta Conference managed to overcome their differences, and, acting in the spirit of true solidarity, mutual respect and trust, abandoned their fleeting interests for the sake of defeating the common enemy and achieving a common victory, peace and freedom for all countries and peoples. *** 🌟 By early 1945, the Red Army had fully liberated the Soviet Union from the Nazi invaders and was mounting a decisive offensive: by January, the Nazi troops had been expelled from Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz, and most of Poland. The Soviet forces had secured strategically important bridgehead on the western bank of the Oder river and were preparing for the final battle of #WWII — the fight for the Reich’s capital — Berlin. As the Red Army advanced rapidly from the Vistula-Oder direction, UK-American units were pushing towards the Rhine river. Despite fierce resistance from elite units of the Nazi war machine, Germany’s defeat was inevitable. With the common Victory approaching, the discussing issues the post-war world order became a top priority for the Allied Powers. Thus, it was decided to convene a major conference, with the Soviet city of Yalta chosen as the venue (February 4-11, 1945). A central focus of the #CrimeanConference was the post-war future of the defeated Germany. The Allies reaffirmed their commitment to the eradication of German militarism and Nazism and to ensuring that “Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world.” It was also agreed that Germany would be obliged to pay reparations for the damage inflicted by its aggression. During the Yalta negotiations, the 'Big Three' Leaders reached a compromise on the issue ofPoland’s borders.The Soviet delegation firmly advocated for Poland’s fundamental interests, upholding its right to independence and sovereignty. Churchill later described the Soviet Union’s historic role in liberating Poland from Nazism in his memoirs: But for the prodigious exertions and sacrifices of Russia, Poland was doomed to utter destruction at the hands of the Germans. Not only Poland as a State and as a nation, but the Poles as a race were doomed by Hitler to be destroyed or reduced to a servile station The considerable growth in the USSR’s international prestige significantly influenced the course and outcomes of the Yalta negotiations. This was due, in large part, to the Red Army’s remarkable successes on the battlefield. The image of the Soviet soldier as a Liberator was cemented, and the world recognised Soviet people's immense Sacrifice and Achievement in WWII The Conference produced several crucial documents, including the Declaration on Liberated Europe, which helped shape the international system for decades. The framework for the future #UnitedNations also took clearer form. Following Yalta, the Soviet Union secured agreement on the “principle of unanimity” among the five permanent UN Security Council members, embodied in the right of veto — #UNCharterIsOurRules. The Yalta agreements strengthened the unity of the anti-Hitler coalition in the final stages of World War II and contributed to the ultimate common victory over Germany. In the post-war years, ensuring the implementation of the Yalta decisions became a key objective of Soviet diplomacy. #Victory81#WeWereAllies

Khatyn Massacre 8️⃣3️⃣ years ago, in Nazi-occupied Belarus, an entire village was wiped out. 149 people were burned alive. 75 of them were children. This atrocity was carried out by Ukrainian collaborators under German command (the 118th Schutzmannschaft Battalion and the SS-Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger). 🇨🇦Canada gave asylum to two Nazi butchers of Khatyn: Joseph Vinnitskii and Vladimir Katriuk. ❗️They were never held accountable for their crimes and died in peace. Memory cannot be selective. No one is forgotten! Nothing is forgotten! #Victory81#WeRemember

#Victory81 🏅 In January 1944, Leningrad was completely liberated from the Nazi siege, which had lasted 8️⃣7️⃣2️⃣ days. During this time, the city endured severe hunger, constant shelling, and bombing. ◾️ Facts about the genocide of the Soviet people in Leningrad 👉 More than 1 million people fell victim to the genocide. Of these, over 600,000 residents — children, women, the elderly, soldiers wounded and maimed at the front — died of hunger, cold, exhaustion, and disease. Leningraders saw death all around them every day, but they did not lose their dignity and faith in Victory. The memory of the Leningrad siege is preserved by museums, memorials, and the Piskarevskoye Cemetery, and the stories of survivors remind us of the courage and resilience of the city's residents. #WeRemember 🎥The film was produced by the Information Department of the Administration of the Governor of St. Petersburg, commissioned by the Government of St. Petersburg, with the support of JSC "GATR" and the Archives Committee.